An urgent recall has been issued over cookies for containing a potentially deadly ingredient.
Colussi Cantuccini Chocolate Drops chocolate chip cookies, which are sold across the US, could contain almonds which are not listed on the wrapper.
Almond allergies can range from mild to life-threatening, causing the throat to swell and obstructing breathing.
An estimated 3.9 million Americans – about one percent of the population – are allergic to nuts.
The compromised cookies were distributed by D. Coluccio and Sons, which is a family owned Italian specialty food importer and retailer based out of Brooklyn, New York.
The company issued a voluntary recall of the cookies, which were distributed nationwide via retail stores and to customers who ordered online.
The recall was initiated in the US after a warning was was issued by the product manufacturer, Colussi, in Italy.
An investigation revealed that the problem was caused by a ‘temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging processes’.
Colussi Cantuccini Chocolate Drops chocolate chip cookies, which are sold across the US, could contain almonds which are not listed on the wrapper
Along with the Chocolate Drop flavor of cantuccini (a Tuscan version of a cookie) the company also makes an almond variation.
To date, the FDA has not confirmed any allergic reactions tied to the cookies, which officials said should be thrown away.
The product is packaged in a 300 gram (10.58 0zs) blue bag, with the universal product code (UPC) 8002590006020.
They are also marked with the lot numbers 3540152 and L354150 and best before dates 15-01-2025 and 29-05-2025 on the back of the bags.
It is not known how many bags of the cookies are in circulation in the US.
The FDA says symptoms of food allergies typically appear from within a few minutes to a few hours after a person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic.
A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis.
Symptoms of allergic reactions can include hives, vomiting or diarrhea, stomach cramps, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
People with a known food allergy who begin experiencing any of these symptoms are instructed to should stop eating the food immediately.
They should the evaluate the need to use emergency medication – such as epinephrine – and seek medical attention.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
